Before making my way to the weeks old Factory House last week, I did a quick Google to see what lay in store for me and my taste buds. Yikes! A couple of heavy hitting reviewers did not like this place at all.
My initial pre-visit reaction to the reviews I’d read was something along the lines of “Ouch … that’s a bit harsh.” After dining at The Factory House though, I came away concluding that those couple of uppity reviews I’d come across really just seemed to be going for a snarky for the sake of being snarky effect. I had a more than satisfactory meal at The Factory House accompanied by a great bottle of wine. Service was fine. The setting was comfortable. I left happy to have been there.
I’ll admit the “refuge for the modern-day industrialist” kitsch was positioned just this side of cloying … but that’s for my tastes. It didn’t get in the way of the meat of the matter anyway. The design was pleasant and easy on the eyes. And a lot can be forgiven when there’s a Josper grill working its magic back in the kitchen. Friendly staff and cushy seats trump over-thought atmosphere too.
Besides, situated in the shadow of Lloyds and adjacent to Leadenhall Market, such a Victoriana vibe seemed to make some historical sense. And maybe theme-y stuff works with the general public anyway? It’s just cranks who write about restaurants all the time who get tripped up on such details.
During my visit, dressed crab salad with green herb mayonnaise and “Bloody Mary” vinaigrette (£10.25) provided a great start to my meal. I was just as pleased with my main course of guinea fowl with black pudding Scotch eggs, artichoke puree and medlar plum gravy (£15.25). A side of honey roasted carrots (£3.50) was tasty too. Brouilly Les Thibaults 2010, Beaujolais (£6.60 for a glass, £18.35 for a bottle) was a smart match for my main.
Kemey dined with me. She really liked her white onion and wild mushroom soup with Shorrocks toast (£6.25) and had no complaints about the line-caught sea bass with cockles, crisp potatoes and sea perslane (£19.50). For dessert, damson parfait (£5.50) and sticky toffee pudding (£5.75) with clotted cream were as yummy as they should have been.
Maybe suggestible apprehension lowered my expectations to such a level that anything remotely decent would inevitably get a thumbs up from me? Nah. I just liked the place and could see how folks working nearby could very easily enjoy a meal or after work drink there.
Considering price point and menu, I thought The Factory House was about as good as anywhere else I’m aware of around Leadenhall Market and a lot better than most options within earshot. It might prove tough getting enough punters through the doors though. My experience around that bit of The City has been that highly visible boozers with lots of standing room are most successful.
The Factory House is located at 10 Lime Street, EC3M 7AA. Visit the restaurant online at thefactoryhouse.co.uk.
